Thermocouple structure



Nov. 30, 1943. uw. A. RAY

THERMocoUPLE STRUCTURE Filed Junev 17, 1940 Inl INVENTOR PVM/@m 5% f ATTORNEY @atente-:ci Novn 3Q? ttig narran stares SECTRE William A. litay, Glendale. (Dalit.

Application June 17. little?, Serial No. 3432,66@

(Gi. i3d-m4) 2 Claims. This invention relates to a thermocouple struc..

ture, and especially to one adapted to be directly subjected to a flame, such as of a pilot burner.

Thermocouples of this general character are known. They employ, for the thermocouple elements, conductors made from dissimilar metals or alloys. If these elements be joined together, an electric current may be generated by maintaining the junction at an elevated temperature with respect to the free ends of the conductors. These ends may be joined to leads for facilitating the connection of the thermocouple into an appropriate circuit. The junction that ls adapted to be heated is conveniently' designated as the hot junction; and the junctions between the thermocouple elements and the leads are conveniently designated as the f cold junctions. Since the theory and mode of operation of thermocouples of this character are now Well understood, further explanation thereof is unnecessary.

Since the thermocouple hot junction is however subjected to a very high name temperature. care is taken to provide elements capable of withstanding these temperatures for indefinite periods Without danger` of harmful corrosion or disintegration. Accordingly alloys such as Chromel and Copel, having the desired qualities, are often used. These alloys are quite expensive and for that reason they are utilized as economically as possible.

It is one of the objects o f this invention to make it possible to utilize very short lengths of these expensive alloys and yet to ensure that a suitable temperature diierential is maintained between the hot and cold junctions.

When using such short lengths of the thermocouple conductors, care must he taken that, due to transfer of heat from the hot junction or from the iiame, the cold junctions are adequately maintained. at a lower temperature than the hot junction, in spite of the fact that the junctions are quite close together. It is another object of this invention to make it possible to accomplish these results'I by the aid of a simple, inexpensive construction.

Itisfadvantageous to subject the hot junction to as much of the flame as possible with.l little eiect upon the cold junctions. When the thermoelect'ric conductors are short, this requirement is 'obviously diii'cult of attainment. Bry the aid of the present invention, the hot junction is supplemented with a relative large area that can be placed in the name, and yet the cold junctions are maintained suitably below the temperature of the hot'junction. It is accordingly another object of this invention -to make itpossible to transmit a greater quantity of heat selectively to the hot junction in spite of the factthat the thermocouple conductors are short.

PEhe increased collecting area may for example, take the form of a sheath joined to the hot junction and heat insulated from the cold junctions. 'his collecting area. supplementing the area oi the actual hot junction also ensures steadlness in operation, without undesired uctuations in power generated by the thermocouple, because oi the heat capacity of the sheath and the fact that a large area of the sheath may be placed so as to be constantly within the flame without correspondingly elevating the temperature of the cold junctions. It is accordingly another object of this invention to provide a compact, inexpensive thermocouple that exhibits these desirable characteristics.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a thermocouple structure that can generate as much power as ls usually encountered, in spite oi the fact that the thermoelectric conductors are of small mass. This is accomplished hy proper choice or relative cross sectional areas to length, whereby the power drain from the thermocouple is not unduly limited by the electrical characteristics of the thermocouple.

It is another object of this invention to provide a thermocouple structure that may be easily installed and without the necessity of critical choice Y of position with respect to the pilot flame.

It is still another object of this invention to malte it possible to =utilize shortthermocouple conductors and yet to ensure that the cold junctions will not he subjected to the ambient temperature ci the furnace chamber where the pilot burner is located.

llt is still another object of this invention to ensure that the thermocouple will be renderedrapidi;r ineiective upon extinction of the pilot name. This occurs because the sheath then serves rapidly to dissipate the heat from the hot junction, and because the mass of the thermocouple conductors is very small, with consequent reduction in .the heat capacity of the structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide in general an improved and simplied thermocouple structure.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose there is shown a form in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present speciiication.

This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the' general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined' by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 shows an enlarged sectional view of a thermocouple structure embodying the invention, in association with a pilot 'dame burner;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along plane 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modiiied form of the invention, the scale being still further enlarged.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the thermoelectric conductors I and 2 are shown as short rods. They may be placed side by side and may be made respectively of Chromel or Copel or other equivalent materials capable of producing thermoelectric eiects. The conductors I and 2 are quite short, of the order of one-quarter of an inch.

The upper ends of the conductors I and 2 are shown as joined by a conducting member 3 which is in good thermal conducting relation with these conductors. For this purpose the member 3 may be in the form of ablock of corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel or the like. This block may be provided with appropriate recesses 4 and 5 into which the upper ends of the conductors I and 2 are placed. In order to attach the member 3 to the conductors effectively, fusion or welding 'may be utilized, as illustrated at 3, showing fusion around the conductors where they extend out of the member 3.

The member 3, in conjunction with the upper endsv of conductors I and 2, forms a hot thermo- -couple junction. vThe lower ends of the conductors I and 2 are shown as fused to the upper portions 'I and 8 of copper conductors 3 and Ill, forming the "cold junctions I2 and |3. The portions 'I and 8 are purposely reduced in cross section so as to reduce the total heat capacity adjacent the cold junctions. f

` A tubular sheath II is provided for the cold junctions. This sheath, as heretofore explained, is made to form a large heat collecting surface for the hot junction, and without influencing the cold junctions I2 and I3. `This sheath extends downwardly and considerably beyond the cold junctions I2 and I3. It may be made of a stainless steel alloy. It may be securely joined to the member in order to facilitate transfer of heat between the sheath II and the member 3. For example, this may be accomplished by the ald of fusion or a weld as illustrated at I4. This member 3 is thus in close heat transfer relation with the inner surface of the tubular sheath II.

To shield the cold junctions I2 and I3 as well as the leads 9 and I0 from heat, the hollow portion of the sheath I I may be filled with good heat insulation material I5. This may be in the form of granular asbestos or porcelain or the like, tightly packed into the space around the conductors I and'2 and the leads 3 and il).

The pilot burner I6 illustrated in Fig. l. is intended to direct a pilot flame I1 against the hot junction of the thermocouple structure. This name I1 plays also upon a large portion of the sheath II. The sheath transmits the heat transferred to it from the flame II to the member 3, and thus to the hot Junction. The intervening heat vinsulation material I prevents the heat of the-'sheath from materially affecting the cold junctions I2 and I3. Accordingly, in spite of the fact that/the thermoelectric conductors-I and 2 are quite short, a suitable temperature difierenjtial is readily maintainable between the exposed hot junction formed by the upper end of the thermocouple, and the cold junctions I2 and I3. Since the conductors I and 2 as well as the parts 1 and of leads 9 and III are 4of small cross section with relation to the internal area of sheath I I, a considerable layer of heat insulation Iunay be used. There is thus n0 danger that the pilot ame I'I will deleteriously affect the temperature of the cold junctions, in spite of the fact that this flame plays directly on the sheath in the region where the sheath encloses the cold junctions I2 and I3. The sheath II may be extended downwardly to a region beyond the material influence of the flame Il. The leads 9 and I0 may be provided with a thin layer of insulation where they emerge from the sheath II for appropriate connection to control apparatus or the like.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the junctions I2 and I3 and the leads 'I i and 3 are formed substantially identically with that illustrated in Fig. 1. In this instance, however, a member I8 made from corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel, is utilized in place of the member 3 in Fig. 1. This member I3 may be provided with through apertures through which the upper ends of the conductors I and- 2 extend, Good heat transfer is provided for between conductors I and 2 by fusion or welding I9 between the upper ends of the conductors l and 2, and the member I8; as well as between the periphery of member I8 and sheath The mode of operation is 'apparent from the foregoing. The ame I'I, playing upon a major portion of the surface of sheath II, directly transfers heat to the hot junction. This extensive heatedarea causes the device to be quite steady. At the same time, the cold junctions I2 and I3 is well protected against this heat by the heavy layer of insulation I5. Due to the small mass of the conductors I and 2, there is no material heat storage, and the hot junction is permitted to cool rapidly.

, y What is claimed. is:

l. In a thermocouple structure, a pair of conductors made from dissimilar thermoelectric materials, and spaced side by side so that the end of one conductor is adjacent an end of the other conductor, a member thermally joining said ends, leads connected to the other ends, each of said leads having an enlarged cross section beyond the junction of the respective lead and conductor, and a sheath joined to said member, said sheath extending beyond the other ends of the conductors and surrounding the conductors, said sheath being in thermal relation to the member, and having a large heat absorbing surface adapted to be directly placed in a flame and capable of withstanding the temperature of the burner flame without deterioration.

42. In a thermocouple structure, a pair of conductors made from dissimilar thermoelectric materials, and spaced side by side so that the end of one conductor is adjacent an end of the other lconductor, a member thermally joining said ends, leads connected to the other ends, each of said leads having an enlarged cross section beyond the junction of the respective lead and conductor, a sheath joined to said member and surrounding the conductors, and capable of withstanding the temperature of a burner flame without deterioration, said sheath being in 

